A few weeks ago, I visited a fellow Melbourne Football Club supporter in hospital, and our conversation inevitably shifted from his health diagnosis to the well-being of our football team. Like him, Melbourne had faced challenges in recent months, but an intervention - in his case, surgery, and in the team's case, a change in game style - had brought about much improvement. 

The team's professionals had altered its game style from a pedestrian and slow-moving approach, which yielded an average of merely 60 points for five winless games, to a faster and more direct style. This shift led to three consecutive wins and a strong competitive effort in the fourth game, albeit with a tired finish against Hawthorn, a strong premiership contender. 

As we discussed our team's recent health improvement, I shared my observations on the changes within the team, including the refreshed style, the introduction of new young talent, such as rising stars Caleb Windsor, Harvey Langford, and Xavier Lindsay, and the rebranding of Kozzy Pickett from a small forward to a midfield machine who can still get among the goals. I also highlighted the dominance of captain Max Gawn in the ruck and the resurgence in form in a big way of midfield superstars Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver. 

I attributed a significant amount of the credit to the professionalism and creative thinking of coach Simon Goodwin, who was transforming the team from a state of ill health to a thriving unit. I even ventured to suggest that Melbourne might exceed expectations and secure victories in the coming weeks against the reigning premiers and the team they beat in the grand final.

To my chagrin, my friend met my optimism with hostility, disbelief and a dismissive wave, labelling my prediction as 'rubbish' and launching into a heated tirade against Goodwin. He argued it was time for the coach to depart, citing over a dozen reasons to support the claim. As the conversation became increasingly heated from the patient’s side, the numbers on the screen of the machine by his bed rose accordingly and a nurse intervened. Like Goody, it was time for me to go and I took my leave as he muttered something about writing another letter demanding action to the club’s president Brad Green.

In the two weeks since my visit, the Melbourne Football Club's health has continued to improve, and my predictions have proven accurate. The team secured victories against both 2024 grand finalists (the first Narrm clean sweep in the history of the AFL’s Indigenous Round), making it five wins out of six matches since Goodwin's intervention early in the season. My friend is also due to be discharged from rehabilitation today.

Currently, the focus is on Kozzy Pickett, who delivered a match-winning performance with 24 possessions, five goals, and six clearances. His speed and ability to attack and hit centre stoppages caused havoc in the middle, while the damage he caused up forward was equally impressive. All done while he wore the Indigenous guernsey designed by his father for Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

Another subject for discussion this week is the team's almost complete all-round game, marred only by kicking errors in the second and third quarters. It was a testament to its defensive prowess and ability to force errors. Also in the news is the continued resurgence of the premiership combination of Oliver and Petracca, under the masterful ruckmanship of Max Gawn, a key factor in the team's success. I could go on and mention the renewed combination of May and Lever in defence along with a most impressive and improved Daniel Turner, the young guns, Trent Rivers and Tom Sparrow’s growth and development, Ed Langdon’s gut busting running and the attacking combination of Melksham, Fritsch and Chandler. 

All talking points of worthy of note but none that could have occurred but for the man who directed proceedings when the club was in crisis mode languishing on the AFL operating table at zip and five after Gather Round.

There’s still a way to go but it’s time for chief surgeon, Professor Goodwin to take a bow.

NARRM 3.3.21 6.11.47 11.15.81 19.17.131

SYDNEY SWANS 2.1.12 4.1.25 7.3.45 12.6.78

GOALS

NARRM Pickett 5 Melksham 3 Fritsch Sharp Sparrow 2 Gawn Oliver Petracca Petty Salem

SYDNEY SWANS Heeney 3 Ladhams 2 Blakey Campbell Hamling Hayward McLean Mills Warner

BEST

NARRM Pickett Oliver Petracca Salem Gawn Rivers

SYDNEY SWANS Heeney Warner Rowbottom Roberts Grundy Sheldrick 

INJURIES 

NARRM Nil

SYDNEY SWANS Sam Wicks (hamstring)

REPORTS 

NARRM Nil

SYDNEY SWANS Nil

SUBSTITUTIONS 

NARRM Harry Sharp (replaced Charlie Spargo in the third quarter)

SYDNEY SWANS Taylor Adams (replaced Sam Wicks in the third quarter)

UMPIRES Jeff Dalgleish Craig Fleer Paul Rebeschini Cameron Jones 

CROWD 38,520 at The MCG

(the first Narrm clean sweep in the history of the AFL’s Indigenous Round)

Good to see that we've wiped off another hoodoo ...

Good health Dees

Wonderfully written post Whispering Jack and an insightful tribute to Kozzie and Langdon. The latter, I feel doesn't get enough praise in these parts.

Im sure a few of us didn't know about the jumper design origins. Thanks.

I'm glad your mate is on the mend along with this club.

Can I politely suggest you keep great posts like this coming but in the interests of your friend's recovery perhaps talk about politics, religion or the rising rates of juvenile crime for a while?

I'm sure his surgeon wants him calm. And your analogy of Goodwin as a medical professional is most apt. A clever metaphor for a coach on the ropes coming back. Yielding his scalpel well and pulling out some new balms and bandages from his first aid bag of tricks to reinvigorate and repair a previously poor pulse.

And give your friend in a difficult time, and all of us, something to look forward to each week again.

Edited Monday at 06:093 days by leave it to deever

27 minutes ago, leave it to deever said:

Wonderfully written post Whispering Jack and an insightful tribute to Kozzie and Langdon. The latter, I feel doesn't get enough praise in these parts.

Im sure a few of us didn't know about the jumper design origins. Thanks.

I'm glad your mate is on the mend along with this club.

Can I politely suggest you keep great posts like this coming but in the interests of your friend's recovery perhaps talk about politics, religion or the rising rates of juvenile crime for a while?

I'm sure his surgeon wants him calm. And your analogy of Goodwin as a medical professional is most apt. A clever metaphor for a coach on the ropes coming back. Yielding his scalpel well and pulling out some new balms and bandages from his first aid bag of tricks to reinvigorate and repair a previously poor pulse.

And give your friend in a difficult time, and all of us, something to look forward to each week again.

Mr.Dependable

Edward Langdon😍❤️💯🇱🇮

Heard the commentators on AFL360 complaining about the final quarter at 39 minutes 58 seconds being far too long.

As far as I’m concerned, it could have gone another 10 minutes. It was good for my health.

Another beautifully written report.

One sight during the third quarter that I’ve never seen at the MCG before was the massive flock of red tailed, black cockatoos. There must have been at least 50. Surely there’s a metaphor there; just within my creative abilities.

Thanks again!

8 hours ago, Demonland said:

A few weeks ago, I visited a fellow Melbourne Football Club supporter in hospital, and our conversation inevitably shifted from his health diagnosis to the well-being of our football team. Like him, Melbourne had faced challenges in recent months, but an intervention - in his case, surgery, and in the team's case, a change in game style - had brought about much improvement. 

The team's professionals had altered its game style from a pedestrian and slow-moving approach, which yielded an average of merely 60 points for five winless games, to a faster and more direct style. This shift led to three consecutive wins and a strong competitive effort in the fourth game, albeit with a tired finish against Hawthorn, a strong premiership contender. 

As we discussed our team's recent health improvement, I shared my observations on the changes within the team, including the refreshed style, the introduction of new young talent, such as rising stars Caleb Windsor, Harvey Langford, and Xavier Lindsay, and the rebranding of Kozzy Pickett from a small forward to a midfield machine who can still get among the goals. I also highlighted the dominance of captain Max Gawn in the ruck and the resurgence in form in a big way of midfield superstars Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver. 

I attributed a significant amount of the credit to the professionalism and creative thinking of coach Simon Goodwin, who was transforming the team from a state of ill health to a thriving unit. I even ventured to suggest that Melbourne might exceed expectations and secure victories in the coming weeks against the reigning premiers and the team they beat in the grand final.

To my chagrin, my friend met my optimism with hostility, disbelief and a dismissive wave, labelling my prediction as 'rubbish' and launching into a heated tirade against Goodwin. He argued it was time for the coach to depart, citing over a dozen reasons to support the claim. As the conversation became increasingly heated from the patient’s side, the numbers on the screen of the machine by his bed rose accordingly and a nurse intervened. Like Goody, it was time for me to go and I took my leave as he muttered something about writing another letter demanding action to the club’s president Brad Green.

In the two weeks since my visit, the Melbourne Football Club's health has continued to improve, and my predictions have proven accurate. The team secured victories against both 2024 grand finalists (the first Narrm clean sweep in the history of the AFL’s Indigenous Round), making it five wins out of six matches since Goodwin's intervention early in the season. My friend is also due to be discharged from rehabilitation today.

Currently, the focus is on Kozzy Pickett, who delivered a match-winning performance with 24 possessions, five goals, and six clearances. His speed and ability to attack and hit centre stoppages caused havoc in the middle, while the damage he caused up forward was equally impressive. All done while he wore the Indigenous guernsey designed by his father for Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

Another subject for discussion this week is the team's almost complete all-round game, marred only by kicking errors in the second and third quarters. It was a testament to its defensive prowess and ability to force errors. Also in the news is the continued resurgence of the premiership combination of Oliver and Petracca, under the masterful ruckmanship of Max Gawn, a key factor in the team's success. I could go on and mention the renewed combination of May and Lever in defence along with a most impressive and improved Daniel Turner, the young guns, Trent Rivers and Tom Sparrow’s growth and development, Ed Langdon’s gut busting running and the attacking combination of Melksham, Fritsch and Chandler. 

All talking points of worthy of note but none that could have occurred but for the man who directed proceedings when the club was in crisis mode languishing on the AFL operating table at zip and five after Gather Round.

There’s still a way to go but it’s time for chief surgeon, Professor Goodwin to take a bow.

NARRM 3.3.21 6.11.47 11.15.81 19.17.131

SYDNEY SWANS 2.1.12 4.1.25 7.3.45 12.6.78

GOALS

NARRM Pickett 5 Melksham 3 Fritsch Sharp Sparrow 2 Gawn Oliver Petracca Petty Salem

SYDNEY SWANS Heeney 3 Ladhams 2 Blakey Campbell Hamling Hayward McLean Mills Warner

BEST

NARRM Pickett Oliver Petracca Salem Gawn Rivers

SYDNEY SWANS Heeney Warner Rowbottom Roberts Grundy Sheldrick 

INJURIES 

NARRM Nil

SYDNEY SWANS Sam Wicks (hamstring)

REPORTS 

NARRM Nil

SYDNEY SWANS Nil

SUBSTITUTIONS 

NARRM Harry Sharp (replaced Charlie Spargo in the third quarter)

SYDNEY SWANS Taylor Adams (replaced Sam Wicks in the third quarter)

UMPIRES Jeff Dalgleish Craig Fleer Paul Rebeschini Cameron Jones 

CROWD 38,520 at The MCG

You forgot to mention the One kid who plays on the most dangerous forwards that no one else can do but anyway

1 hour ago, doomsday dee said:

You forgot to mention the One kid who plays on the most dangerous forwards that no one else can do but anyway

You have to keep a lid on someone. Half the people I know aren’t even aware that Judd McVee exists.

7 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

You have to keep a lid on someone. Half the people I know aren’t even aware that Judd McVee exists.

You got that right.love the way he goes about it